Spot's Cane
by Devonny
Summary: Why exactly is that cane so special to him? Maybe it has to do with who it belonged to, and what he lost to gain it.
1. A Party In Brooklyn

It was nearing three thirty in the morning when the party finally started to fizzle down. The newsies that had come from Midtown, Harlem, the Bronx, and Manhattan were all heading home. Except Jack. He had offered to try and help Spot put the lodging house somewhat back together, seeing as it had been torn apart when the party was at it's peak. Jack and Spot soon grew tired of trying to make the dingy lodging house look anywhere near decent, and decided to take a break. As Jack took a long drag from his cigarette, he noticed Spot fingering the gold tip of his cane.  
  
"Say Spot, where'd ya ever get dat cane anyhow?" Jack asked.  
  
Spot's eyes grew sad as he smiled. "Long story Jacky-boy" he answered.  
  
"Well, we got time. No sellin tomorrah, it's dah 4th of July, rememba?"  
  
"Yea I rememba" Spot said. "I dunno if I'm ready to tell dat kinda story yet" Spot answered, still focusing on his cane.  
  
"Why not?" Jack asked, still curious.  
  
"Some things jus hurt to talk about, ya kno Jacky-boy? If any of me newsies found out some stupid goil could hurt to talk abo-" Spot stopped himself, realizing he'd given away too much information.  
  
"So it was a goil huh? Where'd a goil get a cane like that?"  
  
"Alright Jacky-boy, alright, I'll tell ya, but you'se da only odda person dats gonna kno asides me an Cora, an if ya ever let this slip to anyone, I'll fix ya so ya can't talk no more, got me?"  
  
"Yea I gots ya, so who's this Cora?"  
  
Spot let out a breath. "You rememba two years ago, when I'se just startin to be known as the Brooklyn leadah? Well."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Cora sweetheart, have you seen my purple lace hat box?" A woman yelled down her fire escape. She was about forty, with soft brown eyes and long black hair. Her daughter was below her, still unloading packages from the taxicab.  
  
"I've got it right here mum" she shouted. Her daughter was about 14 with bright blue eyes and beautiful dark hair that reached far past her waist. Cora and her mother Kathlynn had just moved from England to an apartment in Brooklyn. A working class family, the two had found a small but comfortable apartment overlooking the ports of Brooklyn. Fortunately, The two had their own bedrooms; although the living room, dining room, and kitchen were all one room. Cora placed the hatbox down gently on her mother's bed, and then hurried into her new room. The walls were a washed out color of gray, and the windows had no curtains. The nakedness of the windows managed to bother Cora, and she immediately began hanging the beautiful lace curtains given to her by her grandmother. As she began hanging, something outside her window caught her attention. Boys about her age were bathing in the river several stories below her window. Intrigued, she watched silently as they threw each other into the river, laughing and swearing, without a care in the world. For late May, the weather was unbearably hot, and she found herself wishing she could be down there cooling off with them. Realizing this was impossible; she continued hanging the curtains and began unpacking. She had started unpacking at about lunchtime, and finished just as the sun was setting over the river. Cora realized how hungry she was, and went to find what her mother was up to. She found her in the kitchen, unpacking plates and silverware.  
  
"Mum, are you hungry?" she asked.  
  
"Yes Cora dear I'm near starving. I have an idea. Why don't you ask around and find someplace to order some food to go, since I haven't had a chance to go shopping for groceries just yet?"  
  
"Sure" Cora agreed, neither of them realizing just how dangerous the streets of Brooklyn could get past sundown. She took the money her mother had given her and headed down the street, looking for someone friendly who might point her in the direction of a good restaurant. After walking for a while, she came upon an elderly woman. The old woman pointed her in the direction of a restaurant that she described as "Cheap, fast, and sometimes even good" That was all Cora needed. She set out looking for it as the lady called out a warning to get home safely. She reached the restaurant, ordered some food to go, and headed home. Cora was almost home free when she heard the pounding of feet on the cobblestone.  
  
"YOU'SE GONNA BE THA LEADAH OF BROOKLYN OVA MY DEAD BODY!" a voice screamed.  
  
"FINE WIT ME, HOW DO YA WANNA DIE, FAST OR SLOW?" another voice shouted in return.  
  
Cora didn't know which direction the noise had come from, and took off running. Not looking where she was going, she slammed right into a boy about her age, who was badly beaten and in torn clothes.  
  
"Please miss, don't get scared, but I needs ya to hide me right now or we'll both end up dead"  
  
Cora didn't have time to decide whether to trust the boy or not. The footsteps and voices were getting closer by the second. Grabbing the boy by the wrist, she dragged him the block that she had yet to go to her apartment. They reached the building and she rushed up the stairs and to her apartment door. Before she opened it, she turned to the boy.  
  
"Listen, this is the story: I was looking for a place to get dinner from, when I found you and you were very helpful to me so as a token of my gratitude I invited you to have dinner with my mum and I, alright?"  
  
"Whatever you say," the boy answered, "I owes ya me life right about now."  
  
With that, Cora knocked on the door, and waited for her mother to answer. 


	2. A Fine Gentleman Indeed

"Hold on there spotty boy, I needs some more detail there. Who's chasin ya, and why didn't they like you'se bein the leadah?" Jack asked Spot, who was now holding his cane so tightly his hands were white.  
  
"I'se gonna get to dat, cool it wit the questions" Spot responded. Spot didn't want to be telling this story to anyone as it was. Jack interrupting a story he was telling against his better judgment was just making him more and more uncomfortable.  
  
"Alright I'll save me questions for the end. Keep goin, sorry I stopped ya" Jack said, not wanting Spot to stop the story.  
  
"Yea alright, so where was I?"  
  
"You was at Cora's apartment" Jack said. "What happened? Her mudda musta been just thrilled to see you standin there" Jack said sarcastically.  
  
"You woulda been surprised" Spot said smiling.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Oh my goodness, are you alright young man? Here come inside let me clean you up" Kathlynn said as she began wiping a bleeding cut on the boy's cheek.  
  
"Heyya lady I'se perfectly fine thank you" Spot said, not used to being touched, nonetheless fussed over. Still, Kathlynn wouldn't take no for an answer.  
  
"Come with me into the bathroom, these wounds need to be cleaned and dressed" she insisted.  
  
"They ain't wounds, just scratches miss, nothing to worry about. They don't even hurt. Honest." The boy insisted.  
  
"Umm, by the way mom this is-" Cora stopped, realizing she didn't even know his name.  
  
"I'se Spot, Spot Conlon, pleased to meet ya Mrs...uhhh."  
  
"Lachlan" Kathlynn finished for him. "So how did you and Cora meet?" She asked, still cleaning and bandaging him up"  
  
"Spot showed me this great restaurant to get take out from, and he was so helpful that I asked him to join us for dinner, that is, if you don't mind mum." Cora said, watching her mother fuss over Spot from outside the door.  
  
"Sure, of course you can join us," She said, still focusing on Spot. "But how on earth did you get hurt like this?" Kathlynn asked Spot.  
  
"Well, while me an Cora waitin for da food some drunk started hittin on her, an when he wouldn't stop I took action" Spot said with a proud smirk on his beaten face. Cora and Spot made eye contact, and both couldn't keep a straight face anymore. They laughed, which irritated Kathlynn.  
  
"How could you two laugh, this is a very serious matter. Cora, you could have been hurt badly if it wasn't for this fine gentleman here." This made Spot laugh even harder.  
  
"Wow mam, no ones ever called me a fine gentleman before." Spot laughed, which made Cora laugh harder as well. This caused even Kathlynn to laugh a little.  
  
"Well, I don't see why not Spot, you certainly are." Kathlynn finished cleaning Spot up, and the three sat down to eat. When they had finished, Kathlynn cleaned up and suggested that Cora show Spot around the apartment. This was good, because Cora had a lot of things to discuss with this Spot Conlon. She showed him out to her fire escape, and wasted no time asking,  
  
"So who was chasing you?"  
  
"Don't worry bout it" Spot answered calmly.  
  
"No, I am worried about it, and why did they call you the leader of Brooklyn?"  
  
"Cause that's what I is, leadah of da Brooklyn newsies." Spot said proudly.  
  
"Well, those guys didn't seem to happy about that." Cora said flatly.  
  
"Those guys an I have some issues to work out" Spot said.  
  
"Yea, like wanting you dead." Cora retorted. "I think you owe me an explanation, seeing as I hid you, fed you, and my mom cleaned you up." Cora insisted.  
  
"Alright I'se guess telling you wouldn't hurt nothing, you dunno anyone out there, do ya?"  
  
"No we just moved here," Cora answered.  
  
"Yea I can tell. You don't got da Brooklyn accent." He said. Normally, Spot wouldn't have been open with anyone about what had just taken place. However, Spot saw this as an opportunity to impress Cora, and decided to tell her what had happened  
  
"So anyways, I'se the new leadah of the Brooklyn newsies, and-  
  
"What happened to the old leader?" Cora interrupted. "Accident, he was drunk off his ass walkin home from a party in Harlem one night an got hit by a carriage"  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry" Cora said.  
  
"Ehh, his loss, my gain" Spot said. Cora couldn't help but think that was an absolutely morbid thought to have, but decided not to say anything, as she wanted Spot to finish the story.  
  
"Yea so anyways, da two guys chasin me dun like me cause sumthin I did, an they found out about me bein tha new leadah an decided to do sumthin about it"  
  
"What did you do that made them not like you?" Cora asked, curious to know.  
  
"Do you always ask dis many questions?" Spot asked, a little irritated.  
  
"Well, do you always try and not answer these many questions?" Her response made him smile.  
  
"Alright, well it so happens that those two is cousins, and they'se cousins wit a girl who I messed around wit"  
  
"Well why did you do something stupid like that?" Cora questioned.  
  
"For da fun of it I guess" Spot said. He was still confused as to why he had done it as well. "Yea so anyways, I'se better be getting back to the lodgin house, the curfew on working days is 10." He said, now aware of how long he had been in Cora's apartment.  
  
"Where's your family?" Cora asked. Spot tried to hide the pain in his eyes.  
  
"Dats a long story sweet face, an one I don't think you'd handle too well." Spot answered. "An like I said, I'se best be goin. Your muddah was an angel to me, but I have a feelin your faddah won't be too happy seein me hear wit his precious daughta." Spot continued, just realizing he hadn't seen Cora's dad yet, and it was getting pretty late. He looked over and saw a tear trickle down the side of Cora's cheek.  
  
"Whatsa mattah?" Spot asked, wondering what he said wrong. Cora looked up and smiled through her tears.  
  
"My father would have loved you," she said softly.  
  
(A/N: There's a reason why Cora's family likes Spot so much, and it's coming up...I promise.) 


	3. Smiling Through Tears

(A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers. Here's chapter 3  
  
~~~~~~  
  
After Spot left, Kathlynn went to go talk to Cora. She was silently staring out her window, admiring the dock.  
  
"He reminds me of your father, that one." Kathlynn stated. "He's just like him at 16. A know it all, strong, and dirt poor."  
  
"That was your type, huh mum?" Cora asked, still staring out her window. Kathlynn laughed. "I suppose so, I had everything Cora, and I gave it up to be with your father."  
  
"I miss him," Cora said, turning away from the window at last.  
  
"So do I" her mother said sadly. "Everyday."  
  
A tear rolled down Kathlynn's cheek. Cora wiped it with her handkerchief.  
  
"Momma?" Cora asked softly. "Yes sweetheart" Kathlynn answered, now staring out the window like Cora had been. "Don't miss me when I'm gone."  
  
"Cora don't talk like that," Her mother snapped. "Your father lived until 30, and with medicine advancing all the time they'll find a cure for your heart, I know it. Speaking of which, you need your medicine now, I'll go and get it."  
  
"Mum?" Cora called after her.  
  
"Yes dear?" Kathlynn asked wiping another tear off her cheek  
  
"I think that's my type too," Cora said  
  
"Know it all, strong, and dirt poor?" Kathlynn questioned.  
  
"Yes" Cora said, wondering what her mother's response to this might be.  
  
"Well then, follow your heart Cora, but be careful." Kathlynn answered while walking into the kitchen.  
  
"I always have to be careful with my heart" Cora whispered sadly.  
  
*~*~*~  
  
The next morning Cora set out to find herself a job. Kathlynn had already left for the job that she had been promised at about 7, and it was now nearing 8:30. The first place Cora decided to try was the fast, cheap, and sometimes even good restaurant she had been in last night. It seemed very busy, and Cora was sure they'd need some help. Sure enough, when she got there, there were tables waiting to be waited on all over the place. She found the manager and asked about a job.  
  
"How soon can ya start?" A stout woman of about 50 with a few teeth missing asked.  
  
"Now if you'd like" Cora responded, eager for work.  
  
The woman asked Cora a few quick questions, such as her name, age, and address. The woman thrust a pad at her and before she knew it Cora was waiting tables and placing orders.  
  
At around 12:30 the place had cleared out considerably, so fast that it all but bothered Cora.  
  
"What happened?" Cora asked the manager.  
  
"Them newsies are gonna be comin in here any second, an some of me older customers like to be gone when they arrive." The manager said, wiping down a table. Almost as soon as she finished, a mob of newsboys swarmed the restaurant, and Cora found herself working faster then she ever had. At one point, a newsie of about 7 or 8 came up to her.  
  
"Heyya sweet face, me boss wants a woid wit ya."  
  
Who's your boss?" Cora asked. "Ova dere" the boy pointed. Sitting there was Spot. Cora had forgotten about the whole "leader of Brooklyn" business he had explained to her the previous night. She walked over to his table.  
  
"May I help you?" she asked smiling.  
  
"Yeah, can ya get me somma dem pancakes dey make so good hea?" he asked, smiling back.  
  
"Anything else, sir" she mocked.  
  
"Nahh dats good enuff." He said. Cora placed his order and served the rest of the tables.  
  
The newsies finished eating and began clearing out. "Spot, ya comin?" the little newsie that Cora had spoken to earlier asked. "You go head pipsqueak, I'll catch up wit ya." Spot said. Pipsqueak ran to catch up with the rest of the newsies, and Spot approached Cora as she was cleaning off a table.  
  
"Can I help you?" Cora joked  
  
"You'se done enuff for me already, I wanted ta thank ya again for last night. Ya saved me bum" Spot said seriously.  
  
"Well, your welcome" Cora said smiling.  
  
"Umm, do ya mind if I come by an see ya tonight?" Spot asked, trying to keep his cool.  
  
"Sure" Cora said, still smiling. "But won't your newsies miss you?"  
  
Actually, Spot hadn't thought of that. What exactly would they think of him leaving to go see some girl that he wasn't just playing around with? Or rather, was he playing around with her? Spot couldn't exactly decide. He knew she wasn't the type of girl that you had one week and dropped the next. She was more like a friend, but one that he found.well.beautiful. And even all that aside, he was just starting to become known as Brooklyn's leader. Would seeing Cora jeopardize that?  
  
"Hey Spot, are you still with me?" Cora asked, snapping Spot out of his thoughts.  
  
"Uhh yea, I'se hear, would ya mind if I came later in the night? Somewheres around 12?" Spot asked cautiously.  
  
"I suppose that would be okay, but use the fire escape next to my window so you don't wake my mum." Cora said, a bit confused as to why he wanted to come so late.  
  
"Alright well, I gotta get back to sellin, see ya tonight sweet face." He said, kissing her hand.  
  
"Bye Spot" Cora said smiling. She hadn't smiled this much since losing her father. 


	4. I Understand

(A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in a while. Thank you to all my reviewers. I'm sorry this chapter is such a short one, but chapter 5 will be a lot longer, I promise. )  
  
~*~*~*  
  
By two thirty, Cora had all but given up on Spot's visit. He hadn't shown up like he said he would. Cora couldn't say she was surprised. She got the feeling that for some reason, Spot didn't want his newsies to know of his friendship with her. Confused, Cora drifted off into a dreamless sleep.  
  
The next morning, Cora awoke at about 10. She didn't have work that day since it was Sunday, and being that her family had no religion, she didn't need to worry about church. Her mother had managed to find a job on Sundays as well, so Cora was alone. She decided to finish unpacking what her mother hadn't; Her grandfathers belongings. They had been inherited when he passed away a few months ago. Cora had never been close with her grandparents. Her grandparents were very wealthy, and Kathlynn's choice to marry a commoner upset them greatly. Still, they saw Cora and her mother on holidays such as Christmas and Easter, which they celebrated despite their lack of religion. Cora's grandfather had left them the strangest things, among them shirts, a suit, and surprisingly, his most prized possession. Cora's grandfather never actually needed the assistance of a walking stick. Still, he liked the way he looked when he walked with one, and had invested in the purchase of one of the finest. It was made out of the finest wood money could buy, and stained a deep black. The top had been coated with a gold design, 14 karats of it. When the will was read and this item given to Cora's mother, both her and her Grandmother had been shocked. Still, Cora's mother had kept it, and brought it along on their journey to America.  
  
"Heyya Sweet face, whatcha doin inside on a day like this?" asked Spot through a window Cora hadn't been aware of as open.  
  
"None of your business" Cora said flatly, not forgetting how she had waited up for him last night.  
  
"Look, I'se sorry I couldn't make it up ta see ya last night, me newsies kept causin a racket an I had ta keep'em outta trouble" Spot apologized, faking sincerity.  
  
Cora saw right past this excuse. "I didn't hear any racket last night" she said flatly, trying to make it seem as if she didn't care Spot didn't show up. Then a thought struck her. Why should she care? Sure, Spot was good looking, but she didn't even know what kind of substance, if any, he had.  
  
"Whatcha got there?" Spot asked, breaking Cora's thoughts. She looked down to see she had been fingering the cane.  
  
"It belonged to my grandfather. My mum inherited it after he passed away." She said simply.  
  
"Oh, I'se sorry ta hear dat." He said sincerely.  
  
"Well, we weren't very close anyhow." Cora said, a hint of sadness in her voice. "Wow, me an me grandpa were." Spot said.  
  
"Really?" Cora asked, curious to know anything at all about Spot's past.  
  
"Yea, he raised me like 'is own son." Spot said rather quietly.  
  
"Whatever happened to your parents?" Cora asked.  
  
"Ya know, for a goil, you sure do ask a lotta questions." Spot said, once again avoiding the subject of his parents.  
  
"And you certainly manage to avoid a lot of questions" Cora said, making Spot smile the way it did the first time she had said that to him.  
  
"Alright fine I'll tell ya, but if you'se tell anyone" Spot started.  
  
"Why do you always worry about other people finding things out about you?" Cora asked seriously.  
  
"Cora ya don't understand, I'se the leader of the Brooklyn newsies" At this, Cora rolled her eyes. "Seriously Cora, I'se in charge of tha lives of boys no one else in Brooklyn cares ta worry about. Ta everybody else, they'se street rats, but they mean something ta me. They all come from bad backgrounds, but they don't let it show, they'se as tough as nails every one a dem. If they evah knew that me, their leadah, was soft about anything, like me parents or me grandpa or you or-" Spot stopped, and Cora stared at him. They stared at each other. Spot didn't know what to say, and Cora couldn't find words. Spot leaned in and kissed her. He didn't know why. He didn't know if he should have, but he did.  
  
"Spot?" Cora whispered, breaking the silence.  
  
"Yeah?" Spot asked.  
  
"I understand," She said, fully meaning it.  
  
"Good" Spot answered. "I'se glad ya see what I'se tryin ta say." 


	5. Imagine Seeing You Here

(A/N: Sorry I took so long to update, I was away, but any who, here's chapter 5)  
  
Spot walked away from Cora's apartment with a huge smile on his face. "She gets it," he thought to himself. "Finally, someone gets me." He was in so much of a daze that he slammed right into Pipsqueak.  
  
"Heyya, watch it" Spot snapped, snapping himself out of his train of thought.  
  
"Where ya been Spot?" Pipsqueak asked.  
  
"None of ya godamn business." Spot answered, sensitive of the subject of Cora.  
  
"I'se bet you was wit that goil, the one from tha restaurant" Pipsqueak threw at him.  
  
"Nahh I'se got rid a her a while ago" Spot said, lying his best.  
  
"Really? Well who ya doin' now?" Pipsqueak asked, hungry for information about who or what his leader had been up to.  
  
"Oh uh, dis goil I met tha odda night, real pretty" Spot lied. They approached the lodging house, and Spot walked faster, wanting to be away from all of Pipsqueaks un-ethical questions. Upon reaching the lodging house, Spot found something, or rather, someone he didn't expect to be there. After opening the door and stepping inside, he found himself face to face with a girl that could be described no less than beautiful. She had light blonde hair which reached past her waist, and hazel eyes that were almost as piercing as Spot's own. She was tied with rope by her hands and feet, had a bandana in her mouth, and was being held back from ripping Spot's face off by one of the strongest Brooklyn newsies.  
  
"Heyya Conlon, brought ya a present" snickered Dante, the newsie that was holding her.  
  
"What is this Dante? Where'd ya find her?" Spot asked, a bit confused.  
  
"She got in a fistfight wit me sista, I broke it up n decided maybe u'd want her" Dante said proudly.  
  
"Whatddya mean, why would I want her? You'se tryin to say I can't get wit a goil on my own?" Spot snapped.  
  
"No dats not what I'se sayin, I'se sayin that lately even Wiggles has been bringin back more goils inta his room den you'se" Dante said, as all the other newsies that had gathered to see what Dante had brought home gasped. Spot was completely enraged. He was about to throw himself at Dante when he realized that he didn't stand a chance against him. Instead in all his rage he dragged the girl upstairs to his room and shut the door, hearing catcalls and whistles behind him. He threw the girl down on his bed and was about to kiss her neck when he stopped and looked at her. Sure, she was beautiful, but she wasn't Cora. Wait, what was he thinking? Here he had a beautiful, vulnerable girl in bed right there with him, and he wasn't going to go through with it? It wasn't anything he hadn't done before; take advantage of a girl's vulnerability. So why didn't he want to now? Why couldn't he bring himself to do it? Spot got off of the girl and sat across from her. "So, uh, whatcha name, huh?" Spot asked.  
  
~~~  
  
Cora finished looking through her grandfather's things not to long after Spot had left. In doing so, she found a hat that Spot had left there. Knowing how strong the sun was, being that it was late July, she thought it best to return it to him immediately so that he would have it for work tomorrow. Cora found her shoes and hat, put them on, and locked the apartment door behind her. She made her way down to where the lodging house was, which wasn't far from her apartment at all. As she got closer to the docks where the lodging house was located, she received numerous whistles and stares. Cora almost turned around and ran home twice, but kept going despite her uneasiness around the newsies.  
  
"Whatcha doin here sweet face?" Dante asked Cora suspiciously. Cora thought it would be foolish to ignore a newsie of that size, so she decided to give him Spot's hat rather then deliver it to him herself. This was easier said then done for Cora.  
  
"I-I I have umm, well he left this and I, I-I"  
  
"Who left what?" Dante asked, a bit annoyed.  
  
"SSSpot" Cora stammered  
  
"Spot, how do ya knows Spot?" Dante asked suspiciously.  
  
"Well were uhh, friends and um he was at my apartment today and left his hat there so if you could give it to him I would greatly appreciate it" Cora said all in one breath.  
  
"Hah yea sure, I'll give it ta him after he's done wit tat broad I lent him" Dante laughed.  
  
"What do you mean?" Cora asked, wide-eyed.  
  
"He's got her there with him in his room right as we speak" Dante said matter-of-factly.  
  
"I don't believe you" She shot at Dante. "Spots not like that." This caused every newsie within earshot of her sentence to burst out laughing.  
  
"See for yaself sweet face, go up dere and open tha door, it ain't got a lock on it unfortunately for Spot." Dante laughed.  
  
Cora headed slowly up the stairs that led to Spot's room. She stopped in front of his door. She heard laughter belonging to a young girl, and Spots with it as well. She opened the door, unaware of the surprise that she would uncover behind it. Cora came face to face with a face she hadn't seen in a long, long time. Spot was a bit bewildered as to why Cora and the girl weren't mad or tearing each others heads off, as he had seen girls do in this situation. The eyes of both girls welled up with tears as they stared at each other. "Ella?" Cora asked softly. "Cora?" questioned the girl. It had been far too long since the cousins had seen each other. 


	6. He did what?

Disclaimer: Yeah umm totally forgot about this, maybe because I'm in denial.. But anyway, no, I don't own any newsies, not Spot, not Jack, not even little Snipeshooter ::tear::  
  
~*~  
  
Spot hadn't made eye contact with Jack the entire time he had told the story. Only now did he glance up to see whether Jack was following any of this at all. There was a glassy look to Jack's eyes, as if he was reliving a memory that had been brought back to him. Spot suddenly was aware of how uncomfortable Jack was, and this caused him to become uncomfortable as well. Neither of them spoke for a while. Spot because he was trying to figure out what was wrong with Jack, and Jack because words had left him.  
  
"Spot" Jack asked, shaking.  
  
"Yeah?" Spot asked, eager to find out what was causing the great Jack Kelly to tremble.  
  
"What was Cora's cousins name again?"  
  
"Ella, why?" Spot asked, now curious.  
  
"She and Kathlynn still live around here?" Jack asked.  
  
"Nahh, they moved away ta Santa Fe bout half a year ago" Spot answered, then realizing something. He hadn't told Jack that Ella had ended up moving in with Cora and her mom.  
  
"Jack, how'd you know she lived with Kathlynn?" Spot asked, referring to her by her first name as she had later asked him to do.  
  
"You'se remember dat one time when you asked me how many goils I'se slept wit and I said only one cause I didn't think I'd find one who could be as good as she was?" Jack said all in one breath.  
  
Spot said nothing, but stared at Jack wide-eyed, piecing together what Jack was trying to tell him.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Ella and Cora now sat on Cora's bed in her apartment, catching up on what had been missed in the three years they had been separated. Ella's mom had died during Ella's childbirth. When Ella was 13, her and her father had moved to New York to start a new life. Cora's mother had never been informed of her brother in law's death, or that Ella had been living on the streets since his death a year and a half ago.  
  
"Alright Ella you must tell me, how exactly did you end up in Spot's bedroom all tied up?" Cora questioned, laughing at the predicament her cousin had found her way into.  
  
"Well dis goil I'se met on da streets Sprint cheated me outta my share of bread I helped her steal, an we got in a fistfight ova it when her no good jackass of a bruddah comes an knocks me to da ground, ties me up an tells me I'se gonna be Spot's whore for da night. Can you imagine?" Ella laughed. She'd changed a lot from the way Cora had known her to be. Ella was always the quiet one, but her time on the streets had certainly toughened her up. She no longer had her English accent, and instead talked the way Spot and his newsies did. Cora's mind drifted to Spot for a moment. The look on his face when the two had embraced and left for Cora's apartment without even acknowledging his presence had been nothing short of priceless. "It serves him right" she thought. "Agreeing to take some girl found on the streets into his bed for some fun."  
  
"But yeah, dat Spot ain't as bad as dey say. He took me up tah his room n all, but when he looked at me he just stopped, kinda like he realized what he was doin wasn't such a good idea, n den we just talked n he even made me laugh, n den you'se came in" Ella finished, filling her cousin in on what really had happened. Cora felt her face drop.  
  
"So ya really like em, eh?" Ella asked her.  
  
"I suppose deep down I do, but I don't want to let myself like him, I just know I'm getting myself into something that is almost certain to be heartbreaking." Cora said seriously.  
  
"Speakin of hearts, how's yours been wit da defect an all?" Ella asked.  
  
"Doctors have me on medications to keep it beating normally." Cora said, brought down by the change of subject. "Is that how your father died?"  
  
"Yeah, it's so weird how da doctahs say dat it's inherited, my dad and you'se dad had it and you'se have it, but I don't" Ella stated.  
  
"Well, at least one of us will live to be old and wrinkly" Cora said, pretending the subject of death didn't matter to her.  
  
"Will you'se shut up?" Ella said, punching her playfully. "You'se gonna be around hea a long time, I can feel it, an besides, Spot wants ya" Ella said smiling.  
  
"Shut up" Cora said, chucking a pillow at her. Just as an all out pillow war was about to break loose between the two girls, the sound of something hitting the fire escape outside Cora's window stopped the two.  
  
"It's probably old Mrs. Rosenberg upstairs, she's always planting things in that stupid window box" Cora reasoned, but went out onto the fire escape just to see anyway. Cora looked up but saw nothing. As she was looking around to see what had been falling onto her fire escape, a rock hit her foot and caused her to look down. There was Spot, staring up at her.  
  
"What on earth are you doing?" Cora whispered loudly.  
  
"Can I come up, I'se gotta talk to ya bout what happened today." Spot asked.  
  
"Oh Spotty baby, are you'se gonna tell her all bout our hot steamy love makin?" Ella asked, stepping out onto the balcony. Cora pretended to be shocked, and Spot was shocked. That would be the first of many times Spot would hear that line in the future.  
  
"Cora she's lyin I'se swear, I didn't do anythin wit her" Spot said while climbing up the fire escape. Ella realized where this was going, and went back inside. He reached the platform Cora was standing on, and started to try and explain  
  
"Cora I'se was comin home from here an I walk in an Dante's got some goil all tied up an then I was stupid an wanted to prove somethin an I dragged her to my room but I didn't do anythin cause I-  
  
"Spot?" Cora said, cutting him off from his babbling explanation to the days events.  
  
"Yeah?" Spot asked, a bit breathless after trying to explain a days worth of mistakes with one breath.  
  
"If I were to kiss you, would you stop talking?" Cora asked.  
  
"Of coise"  
  
And that's exactly what she did. 


	7. Shattered Glass

(A/N: I'm so sorry I haven't updated lately. Back to school shopping has me in a daze. Thank you sooooo much to all of my reviewers. Webuitthiscityonrockandroll - I didn't know Gabe dies in Robocop 2!! Thanks for the warning! Dakki- Thank you for reviewing at 3 in the morning after consuming a 6 pack of cherry coke, that means a lot ( Anywho, on with the chapter )  
  
~~  
  
The week that followed Ella's re appearance was hectic. Kathlynn saw to it that Ella had decent clothes to wear and a bed to sleep in. Cora now shared her bedroom with her cousin. After much persuasion, Cora's boss agreed to let Ella work for her at the restaurant bussing tables. Ella was being paid less than Cora, but couldn't complain, seeing as no less then a week ago she was stealing food to survive. Everything seemed to fall into place during that week. Spot and Cora saw each other every night after his newsies had turned in. This was fine with Ella, who had been spending her nights in Manhattan on business that Cora hadn't been able to get out of her. When Spot and Cora saw each other at the restaurant, they were friendly toward each other, but did nothing to lead the newsies to believe they were anything more than friends.  
  
Perhaps the lack of conflict among the newsies could be blamed on the absence of Dante, his twin brother Rio, and Pipsqueak. They had left for Harlem last week, and were due to return Sunday afternoon. They hadn't informed Spot they were leaving until they were already gone. When Spot had come home from Cora's last week, they had left a note on his bed to inform him of their whereabouts.  
  
Cora and Ella usually had Sundays off, but since the owner had caught two of her employee's stealing from her cash register last week, she needed extra help with Sunday brunch. Cora and Ella were of course glad to help. At around one, business had slowed down considerably, and she let Cora go home, keeping Ella to help clean up. Cora had just passed the half way mark toward her house when a familiar voice called out to her.  
  
"Heyya sweet face, sorry bout Conlon sleepin wit dat hoe" Dante said.  
  
"Well no need to be sorry, because he didn't sleep with her, and she's not a hoe, she's my cousin" Cora said simply as she walked faster.  
  
"Whaddya mean he didn't sleep wit her, a coise he did, why wouldn't he?" Dante shot back at her as he quickened his pace to match hers.  
  
"Well, perhaps he didn't because he had the decency to realize that Ella was a person, not some sex toy." She said, anger filling her voice.  
  
"Ella, so dats her name ehh? Wondah how much she charges"  
  
That was the last straw for Cora. With all her might she drew her hand back and slapped the giant newsie hard across the face. In no more than three seconds he had Cora pinned up against a shop window they had been walking by. His face was centimeters from hers.  
  
"When I'se the leadah of Brooklyn an you'se precious Spotty is gone, you'se gonna be dah sorriest bitch in all of Brooklyn."  
  
Without thinking, Cora spit right in his face, which enraged the newsie even more. He slammed her head against the glass window she was pinned to, causing it to shatter.  
  
"Nevah fall for a Brooklyn newsie, dell break yah heart, an I'll break yah face" Dante said coldly as he stood over Cora like a lion over its kill. With that, he walked out of sight, and left her swimming in an ocean of broken glass  
  
~~  
  
Spot was waiting for Dante at the lodging house with Rio and Pipsqueak. He had demanded to know why they had gone to Harlem, but neither would talk without Dante present.  
  
Dante stormed into the lodging house without so much as looking at Spot. Big mistake. It took four of Spot's medium sized newsies to pull him out of the hallway he had headed down and sit him in a chair in front of Spot.  
  
"So Dante me boy, who'd ya go see in Harlem eh?" Spot asked calmly, though inside he was boiling mad.  
  
"I'd like tah speak wit ya in private Conlon, if yah don't mind" Dante said with a slight smirk on his face.  
  
"Well I do mind, anythin dat you'se gotta say tah me can be said in front of me newsies," Spot said firmly. Dante got up from his chair and inched closer and closer to his leader.  
  
"You'se sure? It involves yah precious Cora" Dante whispered into Spots ear. At the mention of Cora, Spot's stomach flipped over.  
  
"Alright boys, I'se need tah have a talk wit Dante, ya all needs tah clear out" Spot said calmly, though inside he was falling apart. All the newsies that had been present left, and shut the door behind them.  
  
"Whaddya want wit Cora?" Spot asked, trying to make it sound as though he didn't care.  
  
"Listen here Conlon, you'se don't ask where me an me boys where, an I won't ask why you'se didn't sleep wit dat Ella chick, got me?" This instantly enraged spot.  
  
"No, you'se listen to me, I wanna know who you and ME boys went ta Harlem tah see, cause you'se know dat I'se got people there who ain't exactly fond of me leadin Brooklyn, and I wanna know now before I get someone tah knock da livin daylight outta you'se" Spot shouted, slamming a book down on the desk in front of him.  
  
"Dats always how it is eh? Call somebody tah do you'se dirty woik for ya eh? You'se know very well dat I could soak yah right hea if I was stupid enough, cause I knows you'se got boys out there that would come to yah rescue in a second. Dats the only reason you'se dah leadah Spot, cause you'se got boys willin tah fight for ya, an dah second yah lose dem, it's all ova for yah" And with that, Dante stormed away.  
  
Spot just stood there and let what Dante said process in his mind. It was true. He was the leader for one reason; he had people to back him up. If he didn't have the respect of his newsies, he had nothing. It seemed very clear to him then that there were only three newsies that didn't respect him in the least way. Something would have to be done about Dante, Rio, and Pipsqueak. Pipsqueak was an easy problem to solve. Spot knew he was a good kid, but easily brain washed by the older Brooklyn newsies. If Dante and Rio were gone, they wouldn't influence him anymore, and he'd once again have the respect from each and every Brooklyn newsie that was required. Suddenly, a new thought came to mind. Cora. What had Dante done to her? Spot quickly grabbed his hat and bolted out of the lodging house, heading straight for Cora's fire escape. 


End file.
